There are hundreds of people in Plymouth who have influenced our surroundings and the way we live - from community leaders to global celebrities.

Whether it’s influence over people's lives, influence over how millions of pounds of public money is spent, or influence over jobs and communities.

The city is full of influential people - and we’ve chosen 65 of them.

This is not a definitive list, and is in no particular order, but includes politicians, celebrities, business people, sports stars and all other aspects of life.

If there is a person or a story that you think we are missing, email millicent.cooke@plymouthherald.co.uk

Chris Dawson

Billionaire businessman Chris Dawson (Image: Penny Cross)

Chris Dawson is a billionaire businessman and the founder, owner and executive chairman of The Range.

Dawson started as a market trader in the city selling seafood from the back of a van with his father.

He started CDS Superstores in 1989, and later opened an outlet store in Sugar Mill Business Park in Plymouth called The Range Home, Garden & Leisure. The store sold toys, home wares, DIY equipment and Jewellery.

Video Loading

Video Unavailable

Click to playTap to play

The video will start in 8Cancel

Play now

The Range was featured in The Sunday Times Top Track 250 companies from 2003 to 2012.

Nowadays the brand has about 100 stores, all of which are owned directly by Dawson.

Johnny Mercer

Johnny Mercer is the MP for Plymouth Moor View. The Conservative politician, who was born in Kent, has held his seat since 2015.

Before becoming a politician, Mr Mercer served in the Army as a Captain.

Charlotte Holmes

Charlotte Holmes

Former Miss England, Face of Plymouth and model Charlotte Holmes has recently featured on the covers of Women’s Fitness and Cornwall Living.

The Britain’s Next top Model star, who was joined the show in 2010, has gone on to pursue her passion of fitness, qualifying as a yoga instructor this year and working on content for the popular Women’s Fitness magazine.

Read More

Gordon Sparks

Journalist, broadcaster and DJ Gordon Sparks presents the Breakfast Show on BBC Radio Devon.

Gordon was well-known for his football commentary on Radio Devon and is a keen supporter of Plymouth Argyle.

He took over the Breakfast Show from former host Simon Bates in January 2017.

Plymouth Gossip Girls

Plymouth Gossip Girls is the city's largest Facebook group - with more than 40,000 members (Image: Gillian Nair)

Plymouth Gossip Girls is a private Facebook group for local women founded by mum-of-two Gillian Nair in 2016.

The group has grown rapidly over the last year and now has more than 40,000 members.

As the page expanded Gillian, from Plympton, enlisted the help of more local women to run the group.

Along with existing administrators Sara Nicholls and Sam Dorrall, they now also have moderators Jessie Blackler, Beckie Farr, Christina Hudson Farley, Roxanne Thorne and Josie Masters.

The page is a general forum for local women, but its members have also raised more than £11,000 for local charities including Children in Need, Children's Hospice South West, St Luke's and the Derriford Hospital NICU.

Earlier this year, the Gossip Girls also raised more that £7,000 for the families of Marshall Arnott, Trevor Gorman and Zachary Graham, who died in a crash on the A38 as they were driving home from work.

Luke Pollard

Plymouth Sutton and Devonport MP Luke Pollard (Image: John Allen)

Luke Pollard is the MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport. The Labour politician, who was born in Plymouth, won his seat from Oliver Colvile earlier this year.

Before becoming an MP, Luke studied politics at the University of Exeter.

Judith Petts

Plymouth University vice-chancellor Professor Judith Petts

Professor Judith Petts has served as the vice-chancellor of Plymouth University since 2016.

She was awarded a CBE for services to scientific research in 2012.

Liz Lawson

Liz Lawson (Image: John Allen)

Liz Lawson is the managing director of Lawsons, a family-run business that was founded in 1904.

The first store was opened in Frankfort Street in Plymouth as a tool supplier for dockyard and apprentice craftsmen.

The company later expanded into food and then into cutlery and toys and nowadays the business sells a range of household essentials.

Lawsons also has stores in Ivybridge, Tavistock and Totnes.

The business is also a big supporter of local events such as Flavour Fest in the city centre.

Paul Burton

Paul Burton is the editor of the Plymouth Herald (Image: Matt Gilley)

Paul Burton has served as the editor of the Plymouth Herald since 2013.

Before starting at The Herald, Paul was the editor of the Exeter Express and Echo for six months.

Earlier in his career he spent five years at the Western Daily Press as head of content and deputy editor.

Mick McDonnell

Mick McDonnell is the Best Bar None National Coordinator (Image: Penny Cross)

Former Plymouth publican Mick McDonnell is the national coordinator of Best Bar None - a scheme devised to raise standards and promote safety in venues across Plymouth.

Mick was a founder member of Best Bar None in Plymouth and spent his career running pubs and clubs in the city.

In 2015, he was appointed as the national coordinator for the Best Bar None scheme.

He now helps to deliver the scheme in towns and city centres across the country.

Read More

Ray Robins

Trader Ray Robins has spent his whole career fighting for the West End of the city centre.

He has been the chairman of the Market Traders association for more than 25 years, working alongside other businesses to push for change in the area.

Businessman Ray, who also runs a successful jewellery business, picked up the prestigious lifetime achievement award at The Herald's City and Waterfront Awards.

Tom Daley

Olympic diver Tom Daley (Image: Anna Gowthorpe/PA Wire)

Tom Daley is one of the most recognised faces in world diving.

He rose to prominence during the 2008 Olympics, where he ultimately finished seventh, to become Britain’s second youngest male Olympian of all time.

Earlier this year Tom married his partner Dustin Lance Black at Bovey Castle.

Tudor Evans

Tudor Evans (Image: Penny Cross)

Former council leader Tudor Evans is now the Leader of the opposition at Plymouth City Council.

The Labour politician represents the ward of Ham, and has done since 1988.

Woody from Bastille

Bastille's drummer Chris Wood, also known as Woody (Image: Pinnacle)

Chris "Woody" Wood is the drummer of the band Bastille.

Bastille are an indie band that formed in 2010. Their first album, Bad Blood, was released in March 2013 and entered the UK charts at number one.

The band was nominated for four Brit Awards at the 2014 ceremony, winning the British Breakthrough Act.

As of November 2014, Bastille have sold over five million records in the US and more than two million records in the UK.

The Plymouth-born musician is also a keen supporter of Argyle and often attends many of the matches.

Pat Patel

Founder of Tamar View Community Centre Pat Patel (Image: Lucy Davies)

Pat Patel is best-known as a local community leader in Barne Barton who manages the the Tamar View Community Complex.

Toby and Joe Gorniak from Street Factory

Jo and Toby Gorniak from Street Factory (Image: Penny Cross)

Toby and Jo Gorniak are the co-founders of Street Factory CIC in Plymouth.

The couple has plans to build UK's first hip hop theatre in Plymouth, to coincide with the Mayflower 400.

The husband-and-wife team revealed plans to transform their space in Sawrey Street into their dream educational centre.

Video Loading

Video Unavailable

Click to playTap to play

The video will start in 8Cancel

Play now

The plans for the centre will be based around the five elements of hip hop: respect, peace, love, unity, and having fun.

Street Factory, a social enterprise set up by Toby and Jo Gorniak in 2007, wants to have the building, secured on a long lease, ready before the Mayflower 400 celebrations grip the city in 2019 and 2020.